Clement to risk key player in four changes – Rangers predicted XI v Celtic
Philippe Clement is predicted to risk the fitness of Leon Balogun as one of four changes to his Rangers side against Celtic on Thursday.
Balogun remains a doubt ahead of a vital Old Firm clash, and while the Nigerian faces a late fitness test before kick-off on 2 January [Gordon Duncan, 31 December], he’ll surely be given the nod if he’s close to 100 per cent.
With James Tavernier ruled out of what’s become a must-win clash for Clement, and Dujon Sterling being the Belgian’s only alternative at right-back, Balogun will be needed in central defence.
Elsewhere, Oscar Cortes, Cyriel Dessers and Kieran Dowell look set to drop out from the side which limped to a 2-2 draw at Motherwell, with Conor Barron, Vaclav Cerny, and Hamza Igamane coming in.
Philippe Clement to ring the changes again for Rangers v Celtic
Clement was given pelters aplenty for the display at Fir Park last time out, with seven changes not providing anything in terms of fresh legs as Igamane was required off the bench to rescue a 2-2 draw.
Jack Butland is hardly in top form at the moment, but his position as Rangers’ number one remains solid under Clement as the defence in front of him is shuffled around following Tavernier’s injury.
Leon King will be the alternative if Balogun can’t make it, but Clement will give the veteran every chance to prove his fitness with an eye on lining up alongside Sterling, Robin Propper and Ridvan Yilmaz.
Alongside Igamane, Barron was brought off the bench at half-time against Motherwell to turn the game back in Gers’ favour, and he’ll come in to re-establish his partnership with Nico Raskin in the middle.
That leaves Mohamed Diomande operating further forward, and rather than being flanked by Dowell and a half-fit Cortes as he was at Fir Park, the Ivorian will have Cerny and Igamane either side of him.
The latter has fast-become one of Clement’s key attacking players, and has formed a strong partnership with Danilo up front – and attacking synergy is exactly what the Light Blues need against Celtic.
Dessers, therefore, will again be the player to exit stage left from the starting XI, and given his form compared to Igamane and Danilo’s few Gers fans will be disappointed to see that.
In other Rangers news, the club have agreed another off-field appointment with a four-month wait until they take charge at Ibrox.
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